The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-04-20
MARTYR TO HIS PRINCIPLES.
Father Keller, Who is in Prison for Assisting
the Poor and the Oppressed. o

II
Father Keller, who is in Prison for Assisting
the Poor and the Oppressed.
Until the middle of March last Father
Daniel Keller, while one of the Oldest
priests of the south of Ireland, and within
his district one of the most popular,
was not known to the world at large.
There are so many priests like him who
do their duty faithfully that the indi-
vidual is lost in the class. He was the
parish priest at Youghal, county Cork.
Youghal is one of the parishes of the
Ponsonby estate, which textends over
three parishes in the county, namely,
Killeagh, Inch, and Youghal. 1t is a
smart village on the Bay of Youghal, and
the terminus of line of railroad from
Cork.
Father Keller has been unable, as he
expressed it, to remain silent and inactive
when he saw the poor and the weak op-
pressed by the rich and the strong. The
tenants of the Ponsonby estate were rack
.ented. Father Keller had joined with
Father E. Murphy of Killeagh, in support
ing the action of their fiocks in adopting
the Irish League plan of campaign, which
was simply to pay to the treasurer of the
league such rent as the league experts
said should be paid, leaving the league to
settle with the agents of the estate.
Father Keller acted as treasurer for
the tenants. For this he was arrested on
March 1S and taken to Dublin by the way
of Cork. The news of his arrest preceded
him, He was met at the station in Cork
by an immense throng of people, includ-
ing the mayor and municipal council.
The mayor presented him with an adj
dress, while the crowd cheered enthu-
siastically. A like demonstration was
made at every station along the line to
Dublin. Archbishop Croke, who made
an address at Thurles, voiced the senti-
ment of the people when he said to the
arrested priest: "You represent two
groat prineiples-oppositio to unjust
action in regard to rent, and fidelity to
the condolences of your flock"
At the Dublin station the police were
| obliged to get out of the way, the srowd
made such determined onslaught, and
the prisoner was lifted up ar1 carried to
the lord mayors carriage, which was in
waiting, and he was then COW yea to the
Royal Hotel, where the lord mayor slso
made an address.
sNext day he was taken before Judge
Boyd, of the Bankruptcy Court Whn
he faced the judge and was asked to ter
| tify in certain matters relating to him aflG
his flock, Father Keller refused to do so
on the ground that he would be betraying
| condolences.
Thereupon Father Keller was commit
| ted to Kilmainham for contempt Of court.
His was a remarkable journey from court
to Jail. Archbishop Walsh, Lord Mayor
Sullivan and Mr. Timothy Harrington,
M. p, accompanied the priest to the Jail
The crowd in the street embarrassed the
horses and drew the carriages themselves,
| singing as they went, "God Save Ireland
and wen Hang Judge Boyd on Sour
| Apple Tree"
THE priest was worthy of the honors
thrust upon him, for he was singularly
modest and unassuming through it all
In the Jail he does not occupy an ordi
nary cell, but small cell which is pro
vided with fire and is more comfortable
He is a first-class misdemeanant, and will
be allowed to provide his own food and
such articles of furniture as he may de
sire, and to have servant He will not
be required to wear the prison dress (al
| though the rule is that misdemeanants
shall wear it), nor will he have to per
form the same labor, and special priv
leges-may under the prison rules be al
lowed him by the visiting board if they
think it can be done without risk to tn,
discipline of the prison. He is allowed
| to have two hours exercise in the day
| and will not associate with criminals.